Dial.



L. H.. STARKEY.

DIAL. A APPLICATION FAILED JAB. 2, 1909.

9,262. Batented Apr.20,1909

Arrofmfy LLEWELLXN STARKEY, NEW N. Y.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 270, 19H09.l

Application filed January 2, 1969. Serial No. 470,424.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that l, LLEWELLYN il. STARKEY, a citizen orn the United States, and a resident ol NeuY York, in the county of Nerv York and State ci New York, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Dials, ot which the following is a specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, which forms part ot the same.

rlhis invention relates to dials and more particularly to non-circular dials Jfor time or other recording instruments.

in the accompanying drawing showing illustrative embodiments ol this invention and in which the same reference numerals eter to similar parts in the several i'igures, Figure l is an end elevation ci a clock equipped with one torni ot ny new and improved dial. Fig. 2 is a plan view ot another term ot non-ci cular dial.

Prior to my invention all dials for clocks or other recording instruments which had rotatable indicating arms or hands were provided with circular dials, near the circumterence ot which were located the usual numerals and minute marks. To provide a clock or other recording instrument having an oval or non-circular Jface with a dial to coperate with the rotatable indicating arms or hands it is customary to provide a circular dial, the diameter ot vvhich is substantially the same as the shortest axis ot the tace ot the clock or other instrument. This leaves on the longest axis lolank crescent shaped spaces between the dial and the trame.

My invention hroadly consists in making the symbols and minute marks upon any non-circular dial cooperative With a rotatable indicating hand or arm or with two or more such hands or arms so that they vvill approximately touch each ot the symbols or minute marks and in that manner correctly indicate the time, il the dial is used for instance with a clock mechanism, though it is to be understood that my dial is not to be limited to such use.

ln the illustrative embodiments of this invention, hich vfor purposes of illustration and description is shown applied to a clock, l is a non-circular dial formed preferably in the shape of an oval to exactly lit the oval opening in the face 2 otl the clock which is provided vvith legs or supports 3, 3. The dial l is provided with symbols representing` the different hours from l to 12, and with minute marks which extend substantially from the outer circumference of the dial in-.vard rlhese symbols are shoffn as Arabic nur erals, but it is to he understood that Roman numerals or any other symbols may he used. ln the form of dial shon'n in Fig. l, these symbols are ot' graduated length or height, the largest heing upon the longest axis of the dial, hich, in this form, are the numerals l2 and 6, the shortest numerals, 3 and 9, being located on the shortest axis. The other numerals are graduated in height or length hetvfeen these extremes. i also preferably arrange the symbols or numerals to extend inward from the circumference ol an imaginary and smaller ellipse or oval dravfn on the lace or" the dial, its center being the same as that oi the dial. 'lhe spaces bet-.veen the diflerent numerals or symbols, designating in this torni ol' my invention the hours, are divided into tive substantially equa-l parts and each part is bounded hy minute marks drawn from the outer circumference of the oval or ellipse inward. rlhese lines e, a are given dillerent lengths depending upon their position. on the lace of the dial g those aprearing for instance, hetvfeen the numerals 8 to 10 and 2 to e are of approximately the shortest length and those ail'ipearing hetween the numerals ll to 1 and 5 to 7 are of approximately the longest length. Moreover, in the oval form of my invention, the distance het-.veen the points on the circ unten ence of the oval designating approximately the center of the ditlerent symbols will vary and necessarily the distance bet-.veen the different minute marks will also vary. F or instance, the distance hetu'een tl e points 5 and 6 upon ll ig. l .vill he shorter than the distance betr-:een 7 and 8, which 'will necessitate the minute marks, l, il heing placed at a greater distance from cach other hetaveen the points 7 and S than betvieen the corresponding points 5 and 6. Additional marks l2 may he used to indicate hall minutes and quarter minutes, if desired, may also be used. lt ivill therefore he seen that besides forming a pleasing and artistic dial, the entire oval or non-circular tace ot the clock shoivn in Fig. l is taken up by my oval dial and that upon each revolution ot the hour hand l0, it vvill approximately touch the symbols and upon each revolution of the minute hand 9 it vfill approximately touch both the symbols and the minute marks and in that manner correctly indicate the time.

It is, of course, to be understood that my invention is not limited to the symbols being placed in any particular manner upon the face of the dial, for they may be readily placed as shown in Fig. 2 wherein the symbols or numerals 6 and 12 upon the dial 11, are located upon the shortest axis of the dial 11 and the numerals 3 and 6 upon the longest, which is the exact reversal of the form shown in Fig. 1. This arrangement, of course, will entail the longest minuteand half minute marks being placed in proximity to the numerals 3 and 9 and the shortest minute and half minute marks in proximity to the numerals 6 and 12, as will be readily understood.

Though I have shown my invention as an oval or elliptical dial it is to be understood that broadly my invention comprises a noncircular dial of any shape which is provided with symbols and marks such as minute and hour symbols to coperate with an indicazing arm or pointer moving in a circular at p My dial may be used Twith any recording mechanism which has one or more rotatable arms or pointers and it may be either engraved, drawn, carved, stenciled, painted or printed on any suitable substance or otherwise made, as may be found convenient or expedient.

Having thus described this invention in connection With the several illustrative embodiments thereof to the details of Which l do not desire to be limited, what is claimed as neufv and what it is desired to secure by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claim.

A substantially oval dial for clocks, Watches or other recording instruments, provided with spaced symbols extending inward from an imaginary and smaller ellipse drawn on the face of the dial, said symbols varying in size, the largest being approximately on the longest axis of the dial and the smallest on the shortest axis, minute spaces of unequal width between the different symbols and minute marks of varying lengths.

LLEv/'ELLYN H. STARKEY.

Witnesses:

Rosn MENK, ALAN M. JOHNSON 

